Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan: Both seem quite different on the surface, but there is a unique similarity between the two.
-Robin Bhuyan
Geralt of Rivia, the Butcher of Blaviken from The Witcher games, books and Netflix series, and Dexter Morgan, the Bay Harbor Butcher from the Dexter TV show, come from two different worlds and eras. Despite this, the two characters share striking similarities. Geralt is a mutated monster hunter in a savage medieval fantasy world, while Dexter is a former forensic analyst and vigilante serial killer (earlier in Miami and now in New York). Both live by rigid personal codes, kill “monsters” for what they believe is justice, and are brutally misunderstood by society. With Dexter: Resurrection airing in 2025 (maybe for multiple seasons?) and The Witcher 4 expected around 2027, these two infamous “Butchers” are set to regain massive popularity.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
The Origins of the Butchers
Geralt of Rivia’s transformation into a Witcher involved brutal mutations and trials that gave him superhuman abilities to fight deadly monsters. This physical alteration isolated him from normal humans, but it’s his own code and sense of humanity that defines him into something more than a mere monster hunter. Geralt kills monsters not for glory and not just for coin, but to protect innocents, often at great personal risk.
Dexter Morgan’s origin is different but equally dark. Trained by his adoptive father Harry to control his sociopathic and murderous urges, Dexter follows a strict moral code to kill only those who themselves have committed murder- unjustly. Influenced by psychologist Dr. Evelyn Vogel, this code is Dexter’s lifeline, keeping his darkness focused on “justifiable” killings.
So, here we see a similarity between these two characters Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan. None of them really wanted to be killers, but they were shaped by others: Geralt, by the Witcher trials, and Dexter, by his adoptive father and psychologist.
A Code Beyond the Law
Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan share a brutal similarity: they both live by their own moral and honor codes that set them apart. Geralt’s code is pragmatic and grounded in protecting the helpless, even though it earns him hatred from many ignorant people. Dexter’s code is calculated, which was initially built to keep his murderous urges in check by targeting killers that the justice system has failed to punish.
Neither seeks approval or praise. Both understand their path is lonely, dangerous, and condemned by the masses. Yet they continue to walk it.
Monsters and Humanity
Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan are both monster hunters, though the monsters they hunt are “different”. Geralt hunts real monsters, creatures that threaten the world. Yet often the worst monsters are humans driven by greed, hatred, or fear. This is something that the game Witcher 3 has pointed out multiple times. Dexter hunts human monsters, i.e. murderers and sociopaths hiding behind normal faces. Both force us to question what true monstrosity means: is it the creature you see, or the evil you cannot?
Check out 5 Best Geralt of Rivia Quotes That Define His Wisdom
Society’s Rejection and Misunderstanding
This is where Geralt and Dexter’s stories get truly tragic and eerily similar. Both are branded “Butchers” by the very societies they serve and protect, misunderstood and feared despite their intentions.
Geralt earned the title Butcher of Blaviken after a battle where he killed several people to stop a massacre. The common people of the town didn’t see the bigger picture- they only saw bloodshed and branded him a monster. Society’s fear of what it doesn’t understand isolates Geralt, and this is what forces him to live as an outcast most of the time. Although there are also a lot of people who give him immense respect, he occasionally is judged by commoners for actions taken to save their own lives.
Dexter’s rejection is just as brutal. As the Bay Harbor Butcher, in the second season of Dexter, he was hunted as a dangerous serial killer by the police and feared by society. Public, media and even law enforcement knows his victims were themselves notorious murderers, yet a huge majority of the public only sees a ruthless murderer. This misunderstanding eventually forces Dexter into hiding, living a life filled with loneliness and fear of exposure.
In every season we see him going to extreme lengths to save innocent people whom he doesn’t even know personally. In addition, he makes sure that the people he kills are actually guilty of murder. Despite this, unfortunately, he is not just forced to hide from law enforcement, but he also lives in fear of social rejection, in case his actual identity is leaked out. Because he knows that the very society that he is protecting is not going to accept him due to his identity of a “serial killer”.
Both men’s loneliness is compounded by this rejection. Their brutal actions are necessary, but their worlds are too broken to handle the truth. They both feel like scapegoats for a society unwilling to face the darkness lurking beneath its surface.
Unusual Emotions, Deep Humanity
Both Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan don’t experience emotions the way most people do. Their past traumas, conditioning, and in Geralt’s case, mutations, create a barrier between them and normal emotional responses. Yet ironically, despite, or maybe because of that emotional detachment, they show a deeper humanity as compared to so-called “normal” people. Geralt’s tough exterior hides his fierce loyalty, compassion, and willingness to protect the innocent at all costs. Although Dexter began his killings to suppress his own urges, he shows genuine care for the innocent, a guilt for his actions, and a desperate search for connection. Their struggle to feel and express emotions makes them more human, not less.
The Revival of the Butchers: Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan
Right now, both Geralt and Dexter are making massive comebacks. Dexter: Resurrection began premiering in July 2025, diving back into Dexter Morgan’s complex psyche and new challenges. Meanwhile, The Witcher 4 is expected around 2027, and even though Ciri is the lead, we know Geralt is surely going to make an appearance.
This revival means both Butchers will dominate pop culture discussions in the next 3–4 years, captivating old fans and newcomers alike with their morally complex stories.
Conclusion
Geralt of Rivia and Dexter Morgan may hail from wildly different universes, but their stories mirror each other in powerful ways. Both live by strict personal codes, hunt monsters of their own kind, and carry the heavy burden of being branded “Butchers” by the very people they protect.
As the Butcher of Blaviken and the Bay Harbor Butcher return to the spotlight, their legacies as misunderstood protectors and complex anti-heroes will only grow stronger. Since both live a world where morality is not always black and white, they know that sometimes the toughest choices are made by those who are forced to walk the darkest paths, not because they are monsters, but because they refuse to let the actual monsters win.
